radial nerve

i have this burning, numbness, tingling from my elbow to the tips of my thumb,index,middle,and ring fingers.I had three operations to release the radial,med nerves on my arm , and its over a year.I still have the symptoms worse when i lift thanks

[Christopher R Newey, DO]

Thanks for using the forum. I am happy to address your questions, and my answer will be based on the information you provided here. Please make sure you recognize that this forum is for educational purposes only, and it does not substitute for a formal office visit with a doctor.

Without the ability to examine and obtain a history, I can not tell you what the exact cause of the symptoms is. However I will try to provide you with some useful information.

Is the pain/sensory changes more on the front or back of the forearm/hand? The back of the hand is the radial nerve and the front will be more median and ulnar nerves.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (i.e., median nerve entrapment) can occur more proximally at the elbow rather than at the wrist as it travels between the biceps tendon, fascia, and another muscle called the pronator teres. If this is the case, a median nerve release at the wrist would not provide much relief.

The radial nerve can be entrapped at the elbow causing a syndrome called posterior interosseus nerve syndrome. This can cause pain in the lateral arm that is increased with resistance maneuvers when turning the palm from face up to face down (i.e., supination).

I recommend that you follow up with your physician. You may benefit from a referral to a neurologist who specializes in the neuromuscular system and who performs a test called an EMG/NCS. This test would help localize what muscles and nerves are involved and potentially direct therapy/ies. An MRI of your neck may be recommended depending on your clinical examination. If no further entrapments are identified, you may benefit from medications for neuropathic pain such as gabapentin or pregabalin.

Thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions, I hope you find the information I have provided useful, good luck.